Perceptions about private-label brands are favorable around the world, but value shares are not correspondingly distributed; they are much higher in developed regions like Europe, North America and Australia.

Global consumer confidence edged up one index point in the third quarter to a score of 98—up from 97 in the previous quarter and up two points from the start of the year. The index, which has been on a slow and steady rise since Q1 2012, has now exceeded a pre-recession level of 94 for three consecutive quarters.

Who doesn’t love a good snack? As snack manufacturers look to tailor offerings to deliver snacks that appeal to both the palate and the psyche, knowing what drives a consumer to pick one snack rather than another is vital to stay competitive in the $374 billion worldwide snacking industry.

Across the globe, shoppers are increasingly turning to the web to buy the things they need. But some categories are benefiting more than others. The online market for consumable goods—due to their hands-on buying nature and perishability—is comparably smaller than for non-consumables—durables and entertainment-realted products. Nevertheless, the global audience is willing and eager to shop the web.

Global consumer confidence increased one index point to 97 in the second quarter of 2014, marking the highest level since first-quarter 2007This forward momentum comes after a stagnant 2013, when confidence was stubbornly stuck at 94 for three out of four quarters.

Do consumers really care about conscious capitalism when it comes to buying decisions? Are they willing to pay more for products and services that come from companies that engage in actions that further some social good? For a growing number of consumers around the world, the answer is yes.

From power tools to bikes, to electronics and even to cars, people around the globe are leveraging the unused capacity of things they already own or services they can provide for a profit. Welcome to the share economy.

Around the globe, more consumers say they’re feeling confident. In the first quarter of 2014, global consumer confidence returned to a pre-recession level with an index score of 96—the highest score since first-quarter 2007. And there are other positive signs: perceptions of local job prospects improved in all regions except Latin America; recessionary sentiment improved in 68 percent of markets; and discretionary spending intentions increased in all regions.

Although car ownership in the majority of Southeast Asian markets is among the lowest levels globally, a new global report from Nielsen reveals consumers throughout the region are displaying strong intention to purchase a new car and will drive much of the world’s automotive demand in the coming two years.

In light of the growing uncertainty surrounding the regional economic integration of ASEAN in 2015, being ready for what lies ahead presents challenges for even the most well-prepared companies. Find out how you can prepare your business for what lies ahead.

The world’s population is getting older and many consumers say the world isn’t prepared for the shift. According to the World Health Organization, 2 billion people will be at least 60 years old by 2050, which raises questions and concerns for consumers as well as industries.

Global consumer confidence held steady with an index of 94 for three consecutive quarters, ending 2013 one point higher than it started (Q1 2013) and three points higher than the same time period the previous year (Q4 2012), according to consumer confidence findings from Nielsen, a leading global provider of information and insights into what consumers watch and buy. The Nielsen consumer confidence index measures perceptions of local job prospects, personal finances and immediate spending intentions.

Money can be tight no matter where we live. After paying essential living expenses, there is often too little money left for spending or saving on discretionary items. In fact, Nielsen reports that around the world we allot just 10 percent of our monthly income for saving and investment purposes on average. Is that enough?